Chino Hills students stranded on freeway after bus fire

No children were injured after a Chino Valley Unified School District bus caught fire on the northbound 57 Freeway in Fullerton today.

The incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. near the Chapman Avenue offramp

About 135, fourth grade students, in two buses, from Wickman Elementary School were returning to their Chino Hills-based campus after a day at Knott's Berry Farm.

Witnesses reported one of the two buses's rear compartment, where the engine is housed, was damaged due to the fire.

"The buses immediately pulled over to the side of the freeway and with the aide of six big rigs surrounding the busses to protect our children, all students, parents, and teachers were safely evacuated from the disabled bus," said Julie Gobin, district spokeswoman.

Students were able to wait safely behind cement barriers away from the freeway, she said.

The second bus transported its passengers to the Holiday Inn on Nutwood Avenue in Fullerton and then returned to pick up the stranded passengers.

The Chino Valley Unified Transportation Department sent a replacement bus to the hotel and all students are in the process of boarding the two buses for the trip back to Wickman Elementary, Gobin said.